The best UX research methods for the 3 major product development phases

When teams ask me what type of Ux research method I would recommend, I usually ask one very important question in return: What stage are you at in the development process? Depending on the answer I recommend one method rather than another.

For many people Ux research is synonym of usability testing and in fact it has become one of the most popular UX methods. It is a valuable tool. It isn’t however always the most suitable.

Looking at the product development process, we can roughly divide it into three major stages:

Discovery phase

Validation phase

Measurement phase

This infographic summarises goals and questions of each phase and lists the most common Ux methods for each. It also elaborates on a broader distinction of research methods: qualitative/quantitative and attitudinal/behavioural.